The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-06-09

cnslt1ou as weapons or defense and attack.
Into, the bottom of this sledge our formid-
able array of baggage, including goodly
supp ly of canned and frozen provisions,
was quickly packed; and over the whole
was spread thick, folding mattress CT
raw cotton, which was to serve as cush-
ion by day and a bed by night. We were
well provided with armor to repel the at
tacks of frost. With legs incased in dog
skin sock 3, goats hair stockings and thick
felt boots reaching to above the knees,
with douh lie deerskin kukliankas-an ex-
cellent hooded garment Of Kamchatdale
manufactm e, similar in appearance to the
Esquimau ress-with long, black shubas
or coats Of lsheepskin, with fur caps COW
ering the ean' and gloves made like those
of our infanc.v, having one receptacle for
the thumb ant one for the four fingers
Jointly, with stout, felt lined rug or
sheepskin, and q n apron of felt attached
TO the front of IL re sledge, we were con-
WINGED that the old need have but little
terror for us.
The packing Of @ Siberian sledge is q
science which cannt,t be mastered in q
single lesson; but af6 Or some difficulty all
was arranged for fairly comfortable
start, and, waving fare, wells to the friends
who had collected to W. illness the setting
out of our expedition, we went away at q
gallop on the first of the fo ur hundred odd
stages which were before }. The efects
of the recent pourga soon became pain
fully apparent. The slopes G the hills at
the back of the port were entir ely denuded
of snow, and it was with din Guilty that
the horses could drag the hea Wy laden
sledge up the steep inclines. Til. N In the
valleys the deep snowdrifts gave s LARGELY
tro. PI1f IN,
road improved, the sun shone out brig 1tiy,
and the weather was SO mild that O sh gie
sheepskin coat was more than suficit Mt
for warmth. The exhilarating sensatio. n
of gliding over a snow road, with three
fresh, high spirited horses galloping be-
fore Us, raised our spirits, and a sledge
journey through Asia bore the aspect of a
pleasant holiday excursion. AS soon as
we were clear of the town, the yemstchik
descended from his perch and loosened tho
clappers of two large bells suspended in
the douga, and we had our first taste Of
the music which was to accompany us
from the Pacific to the Urals. The sledge
bells of Siberia are not the tinkling silver
bells of Poe's fancy. They are often as
large as an ordinary English dinner bell.
They vary in number from one up to five
or six, and arc not always tuned to har-
mony. At first the ceaseless changing is
by no means agreeable, but after time
the ear becomes accustomed to it, and
when on one or two occasions, while
travelling with private horses, no bells
were supplied to Us, we felt that something
was wanting to the due enjoyment Of
sledging
After q two hours journey over hills
and through woods, with frequent pleas
,,,A IL. 49, H.
ing islands, we arrived ut the first post
station. Here we had substantial fore
taste Of the many trials of patience in store
for us. Only four troikas, OF teams Of
three horses, were kept at this station for
go vernment posting purposes, and we
were therefore moro gricved than surprised
to learn that we had fourteen hours to
wait before proceeding on our journey.
The; delay, however, afforded Us an OPP
portunity of studying moro closely the
science Of sledge packing, and having Or
dered the eternal samoyar'-the handy
tea urn which is every Russians almost
inseparable companion-We made our
selves as comfortable as the circumstances
permitted. At O'Clock in the morning
little before the fourteen hours expired
tho grateful sound Of Harvesting horses
struck upon our ears; and few minutes
later three sledges, our own, with four
horses attached, bringing up the rear,
were toiling UP q steep hill in the midst Of
the black night. 1t requires q certain
amount of practice to sleep in a slcdge on
q rough, hilly road, with the knowledge
that every two or three hours, or less, one
must alight at q station, ascertain and
pay the fare for the next stage, select end
present to the yemstchik pourboire in
| Ii
horses harnessed, and repack oneself in
the vehicle; and for the first night GER
tainly the novelty Of our situation drove
all thoughts Of sleep from our heads.
Soon we found ourselves sledging,
though but for O short distance, ON the
frozen sea- 1t was curious sensation to
be for the first time on heavy sledge over
deep water; and it was difficult to prevent
the mind from specializing on the probable
results of o crash through the ice. The
three sledges, however, made the passage
in safety, and soon afterward drew up at
the lonely post station of Tigroya, SO
called because it is in the midst of favor
lite haunt of tho large tigers which infest
the eastern coast of Asiatic Russia. These
animals are not infreauenuy met by trav-
elers on the post roads of the maritime
province; but having plentiful supply of
deeT's meat always within reach, they
rarely attack men unless they are them
selves attacked first.
The sheltering hills of Vladivostock
were now left far behind, and the differ
ence in temperature became very percepti-
bic. The thermometer fell for the first
time below, zero. The interior Of our
sledge hood became white with boar frost,
and every heavy jolt brought down On our
heads o miniature snowfall; two long
icicles suspended themselves from my COM
panion'S mustache, and effected junction
with the collar OF his shuba, while the
long hair of the horses became covered
with frozen perspiration. No difficulty was
now experienced in obtaining horses, and,
waiting just long enough at each station
to exchange our tired beasts for fresh ones,
and twice to snatch hasty meals, we pushed
On for the Khanka lake. Through pretty
country, constantly ascending and de-
scendins steep hills, we glided along, some-
times fast, sometimes slow, the speed vary
ing in direct proportion to the energy OF
the yemstchik and the strength OF his
1ungs.-London Standard.